Luka Doncic scored 46 points and handed out 11 assists and LeBron James contributed 24 points as the Los Angeles Lakers earned a 129-118 win against the host Chicago Bulls on Monday.
Rui Hachimura added 23 points and Marcus Smart had 12 for the Lakers, who won for the fourth time in five games while stopping the Bulls’ four-game winning streak.
Chicago scored 24 of the first 36 points in the third quarter to whittle a 13-point halftime deficit to one. Nikola Vucevic swished a pair of free throws at the 6:42 mark to draw the Bulls within 81-80, but the Lakers quickly regrouped.
Smart converted a three-point play that started Los Angeles on a quick 8-0 run that helped regain control. Doncic scored 20 points in the third on 6-of-9 shooting. He sank eight 3-pointers and matched Jarred Vanderbilt for the team high with seven rebounds.
The Bulls started 16-for-31 from long range but missed 16 of their last 18 attempts.
Coby White produced 23 points to pace Chicago. Ayo Dosunmu followed with 20 points while Vucevic notched 18 points and 11 rebounds. Josh Giddey totaled 19 points and seven assists, Jalen Smith put up 13 points and Matas Buzelis had 11.
James shined in his most productive first half of the season, scoring 20 points on 9-for-15 shooting to spark the Lakers to a 69-56 lead at the break.
James unleashed multiple powerful dunks, including a breakaway slam in transition to tie the game at 10 in the first quarter.
Doncic followed with 17 first-half points on 6-for-10 shooting as the Lakers led by as many as 20 before the break.
Chicago closed the half on a 7-0 run. Dosunmu bookended the spurt with a trey and a driving layup. Giddey and White paced the Bulls with 11 first-half points apiece.
The Lakers’ Drew Timme sustained an injury to his right eye when Dosunmu was whistled for an offensive foul after elbowing him in the face early in the second quarter. Officials reviewed the play for a possible flagrant foul, but it was ruled a common foul. Timme was cleared to return but remained on the bench.
